Anyone who has still has this sitting on the shelf - it's time to bust it out. I want to do sort of a walk through on how to take this rather mediocre kit, and correct its inaccuracies. So grab your sprue cutters and your favorite beverage, and we'll get started.
If you've already built it, it's not impossible to fix, but it will be that much more difficult.

Have they (Panda) improved their instructions any?

No difference between the instructions from when the kit first came out and the ones in the kit I received last Saturday. The instructions aren't really the problem.

I tried building their 2S6M Tunguska kit; but the instructions were horrible. Saying it had "vague parts placement" would be generous. Also quite a few errors.

I really, really wanna build one of these though! I guess I'll have to watch The Master work!

Interesting the FAASV in the background

Indeed. Although now it's called a CAT - Carrier Ammunition Tracked.
I don't know if Panda actually has it planned, but based upon their M109A7, I think I'll send my CAT references to AFV Club.
(Along with M109A7 references)

I will watch with interest. This build will decide to buy the kit or not.

I didn't think it was that bad to build and it is pretty close to being right. There were/are a few issues with the instructions that I pointed out in my build review of it.

I'm looking forward to see how yours turns out.

The instructions weren't hard to figure out. A misnumbered part, a couple not annotated but easy to locate. The issues run far deeper than that. For one thing, it appears that it was based in large part on one of the prototypes, which is fairly obvious when looking at the kit's rear hull. But it's not just you - none of the three online reviews I've read caught that.

At any rate, I'll be able to post some photos in a few hours. For now, these images indicate the areas on the kit that need correcting or need additions:

The first prototype (which was more of a "proof of concept" was based on a modified A6 hull. You can still see the original lift rings in the upper corners. And of course the mounting holes for the spades. Photo courtesy of John Charvat I think.




Unfortunately I based my scratchbuild on these photos. The engine deck is very simplified and it still retains the former driver's hatch.

Then came at least four prototypes. The one you see mostly on Youtube is no. 2.
As you can see on number 3 which I photographed, it still has the spade mounts, but now has bolt on lift rings. Different engine deck than the first one, but still not the final version. The kit engine deck manages to still be off, although close. More on that when the time comes. I think somewhere on this forum I opined that the kit was going to be based upon a prototype and hoped that wouldn't be the case. The M109A7 wasn't even classified until sometime after April of last year, so a kit announcement in 2018 seemed suspect.



The production vehicle does away with the spades altogether, so you need to modify the rear plate. Note the addition of the mounts for the door locking bar, to the right of the door:

Is the CAT based on same chassis as the A7? Since we never got a regular 992 I wonder about backdating issues

Yes, entirely new vehicle based on the A7 hull, although still carries on the 992 numbering system just as the Paladin still continues the 109 designation.

Well maybe those old Italeri 109 kits will come in handy as donation chassis.

Why not buy the AFV Club kit and skip all the crap?

They are not the same model of howitzer. The excellent AFV Club kit is an M109A6 Paladin. Panda's kit is the next generation M109A7 Paladin, which has a completely different lower hull (based on Bradley components) and a modified A6 turret. Out of the box, the Panda one is of a late prototype. Rob is updating it to be the actual fielded version.

The AFV Club kit represents an M109A6, not an M109A7. Whole 'nother animal with a completely different lower chassis using components common with the Bradley.

That said, if you've still got your files out, go ahead and remove the texture from the area shown. You'll have to scribe a missing access cover there, not surprisingly similar to the one on the Bradley.



But since you mentioned it - I'm no stranger to the very good AFV Club Paladin kits and their other M109 series kit. I think I just received another one a few minutes ago...

Thanks for the close-ups, Rob! I know I greatly appreciate it.

Might even make me want to take another stab at a Panda kit!

I'll see your Paladin and raise you a Paladin:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/features/6986

Here's where the corrections get a little more interesting.
The electronics box on top of the magazine comes in two pieces. They are devoid of a lot of detail:



On top of the box there should be a hinged hatch. Instead, there is a hinge, (of sorts) with texture where the hatch should be. No delineation of the hatch itself. The texture does not exist on any of the prototypes. This box hs been around since at least 2010 when it was retrofitted to M109A6's. Also note there are no vents on it.

The other piece is the front of the box. Note the protrusion that represents a vent cover, with a rubber bump stop attached to it. There are no vents on the parts.

Now take a look at what the box should look like:



There seems to be a little bit of detail missing there, in addition to the fanciful texture.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, it to make the necessary corrections.

More to come.

I'm watching this with interest because I love the Paladins - but not because I possess the skill for these corrections. Rather, I'll wait for AFV Club to put out a dash 7 and let THEM make all the corrections Panda didn't.

Still no reason to get one.

Looks like big work

I'll wait for AFV Club to put out a dash 7 and let THEM make all the corrections Panda didn't.

And as you can see, I've made plenty of measurements, which they will have. Panda has been unresponsive on this.

Still no reason to get one.

That's starting to become the consensus opinion in spite of all the glowing online reviews.

Looks like big work

It's a LOT of work, as you'll see as we go on, but not really big work if you take it on in small bits.

To wit:





A little more work to do - I've misplaced my very small Plastruct hex rod, but need to add so bolt detail and other minor things. The bulk of it went fairly well I'd say.

And so on to the next bit - the driver's enhanced vision unit. It comes in two pieces as well. It's missing the rear details (oval cut out, three rows of holes) and prominent armor plate and bolt detail on top.



Here's what you want:



Easy stuff after that last little project.

Thanks Rob!

Don't thank me yet. Lots of work yet to do.

If you need break from working on that driver's enhanced vision unit, you can tackle this task. You'll have to remove everything shown as you will be adding a lot of missing detail. I would recommend sticking a pinhole in the two circles where the locking handles go - in case you sand them off you'll still know where the parts are supposed to go. You can try to save the oval lifting rings if you like as you'll be putting new one in a different location, but's easier to just use pieces of 12 gauge hypodermic needle and brass wire.